


Serpent King, Queen, and Consort

by Sun_Spark



Series: Southside Serpent's Court [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Anxiety, Archie's juvie buddies, Comfort, Court, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gang politics, Group dynamics, King Jughead, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, New Relationship, No Sex, Non-Sexual, Poly Relationship, Pretty Poisons, Season 3, Season/Series 03 Spoilers, Serpent King Jughead Jones, Serpent's Court, Southside Serpent Archie Andrews, Southside Serpent Betty Cooper, Southside Serpent Jughead Jones, Southside Serpent Leader Jughead Jones, consort archie andrews, in a noncreepy way, juvie guys, post-juvie, queen betty cooper, southside serpents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 05:15:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20501477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sun_Spark/pseuds/Sun_Spark
Summary: Jughead and Betty sneak over to spend the night with Archie during a rare moment of calm. The discussions they hold in the still of the night will spell change for the Serpents, the Poisons, and the friends Archie brought home from Juvie. But while the fates of their respective groups hang in the balance of their words, Archie doubts his place and it's left to the King and Queen of the Serpents to remind their Consort how important he is.OrArchie's home from Juvie and insecure, Betty and Jughead reassure him - Consort is used in a non-creepy way - and the three of them debate how best to lead the Serpents and the Juvie guys, and how to control the Poisons. Also, someone actually acknowledges Archie's trauma and him having a hard time coping after Juvie and Canada! Shocking concept, I know.





	Serpent King, Queen, and Consort

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first in a series where I hope to explore the relations of the groups like the Serpents, the Juvie Guys, or the Poisons, and how Jughead, Betty, and Archie lead them and how Jughead forms his court to help the king rule. Some fics will be centered around these three, some around Sweet Pea and Fangs, and some around FP and Fred. I hope you'll come on this journey with me and enjoy it.

Archie sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. When he’d come home he’d collapsed backwards onto his bed, not bothering to change, and merely went still, legs on the bed but his feet hooked over the side, head barely on the pillow, and a hand over his face. He was tired…tired, exhausted, achy…weary, that was the word. Jughead was the writer, he would have known a more elegant term, one to better sum up how Archie was feeling. Archie’d never been good with words, in his own opinion. Even the songs he wrote never imparted the meaning he wanted. 

He was broken from his train of thought by the sound of his door slowly creaking open. He lifted the hand from his eyes and looked towards the end of his room, he was too tired to raise his head so his view wasn’t the best, but he recognized the silhouette and shuffling footsteps of his oldest friend.

“Hey Jug.” He murmured. 

The boy in question grinned silently in lieu of greeting, and laid down beside him, propping himself up and resting his head on a bent hand so he could look down at the redhead. Archie watched him with hooded eyes but didn’t make move or sound to protest or question him. “Hey Bud.” It wasn’t a whisper, but it was quiet and spoken in a soft tone that was normally reserved for Betty. Archie hummed but didn’t answer, Jughead didn’t mind. “You been okay? Kinda heard through the grapevine you lost it there for a bit.”

Archie groaned softly, more from embarrassment than anything else, the hand previously hovering a few inches over his head now pressing to his brow and over closed eyes. Jughead didn’t laugh, but the smile on his lips could be heard in his tone. “Not surprising really. How anyone expected you not to have a bit of a tailspin coming out of the hell hole we call Leopold and Loeb Juvie, I’ll never know.”

Archie sighed, hand dropping with a thump to his chest. “Yeah…” His voice was rough. Too little use in Canada? Exhaustion? Hell if he knew anymore. “Didn’t…Didn’t know how to cope.” He paused and some part of him wished Jughead would fill that void with words, fill it so Archie didn’t have to. He didn’t. He merely waited patiently for Archie to find the words he needed. “I…It was hell. In there. The guards were sadistic, Ghoulies caused trouble, the Serpents didn’t want me at first…changed pretty quick when I took Joaquin’s place…” He stared up at the ceiling without seeing it, eyes far away and unfocussed, Jughead watched and waited patiently. “All I did was fight, train, fight, and survive….I should be glad I’m out….”

His voice faded in strength as his words ended. The pause lasted longer now, and Jughead’s hand rose for his fingers to trace gently through Archie’s hair. “But…?” He prompted gently. Archie sighed heavily, eyes squeezing shut as if he could hide away from what he was going to say, from the truth of it. “I almost wish I was still there.”

Jughead didn’t say anything. “I…I hated it, hated the guards, Warden Norton, Hiram Lodge…I hated seeing my…brothers, coming back cut up and bruised with broken ribs that weren’t going to be fixed because of those **_stupid bastards_** making us fight….But out here…” His voice cracked from the strain of emotion he wasn’t expressing. “Swinging a sledgehammer doesn’t work. The silence was familiar but it wasn't comforting and hitting things doesn’t help. I fought to survive…and there’s nothing for me to fight here…not the way I need to.” 

His words had faded out into a whisper, and he was done talking now, slightly breathless from the weight of his emotions and frustrations. Jughead knew that from his tone, from every line of his expression. He ran his fingers through Archie’s hair gently. “I’m sorry we weren’t there for you. I…” He swallowed thickly, looking away even though Archie’s eyes were closed. “I’m sorry I was so caught up in trying to figure out that damn game that I wasn't there.”

His eyes tracked from wall to floor and across where they lay on the bed on a path back to Archie’s face. He stilled when they met Archie’s, hazel-brown eyes watching him from under hooded lids from within a calm, nearly blank expression. Archie’s hand came up slowly and brushed over his cheek, curving over his bones to cup his jaw. He held them there, a gentle touch rather than a demanding one. “It’s alight Jug. I know things got crazy for a while. And as for that game, it fucked with your head. That’s what it was designed to do. It’s ok.”

Jughead’s gaze had fallen at some point in shame, now it rose again to meet unaccusing eyes. He tilted his head, rubbing his cheek into Archie’s palm for a brief moment. Archie grinned and let the hand drop without care, holding Jughead’s gaze with an affectioned one of his own. “What are you doing here anyway Jug?”

Jughead hummed as he toed his shoes off and pulled his legs up under himself. “We wanted to spend some time with you while it’s calm for a night. Your Dad let me up, didn’t question it at all, which is kind of adorable really. He just said goodnight, shut and locked the door, and went to bed.”

Archie raised a tired brow at him. “We?”

Jughead hummed, “Betty should be here in a little bit.” Archie’s attention was drawn by the sound of a lock unlatching and his window sliding open. Jughead’s eyes tracked to the parting panes of glass overflowing with silver moonlight and he grinned. “Now, actually.”

A blonde ponytail bobbed into the room as the girl it belonged to silently set her feet on the wooden floor and slid the window shut again behind her. Grey-green eyes lit with sparks flickered across the expanse to rest on them and she smiled as she moved towards them, framed by the moon's silver light. “Hey guys.” She bent briefly to share a kiss with Jughead before plopping herself down by Archie’s feet. 

Looking down at said feet she laughed softly, a brief tinkling sound of joy in the dim room. “Oh Arch, guess you’re tired, huh?” She set about unlacing his shoes as he hummed in response and he tracked his eyes to her, leg twitching as if to move but not following through. “ ‘Don’t have to do that Betty.” She looked up at him and grinned, fingers not stopping as they parted the last of the laces and slid his sneakers off. “I don’t mind Arch. You don’t look like you’re sitting up any time soon.” Both shoes on the ground, she slid her own off and tucked her legs under her, leaning back on a hand and turning towards them. “You doing ok?”

Archie nodded quietly under Jughead’s watchful eye and the raven-haired boy decided to fill in the gaps for her. “I was, apologizing, that we weren’t there the last few weeks, and,” His gaze dropped and he hung his head guiltily, “for how I was when you went to get him.”

Archie grunted quietly, voice needing a moment to work properly, and he raised a hand to hook his finger’s under Jughead’s chin. “Already told you, it’s ok.” Jughead huffed quietly, not really expressing any strong emotion but met the redhead’s eyes evenly, affection lighting his eyes. 

Betty spoke up then, hand idly curling over Archie’s ankle, fingers moving in a gentle caress. “Things definitely got crazy lately, even now that you’re home-“

Jughead scoffed a laugh, cutting her off, “Yeah, Archie here blackmailed a governor, got five inmates pardoned, and adopted them all!” Archie grinned wryly as Betty rolled her eyes. “_Anyway,_” she shot Jug a look and he shut his mouth with a grin that she returned as her eyes returned to Archie, the redhead watching them fondly. “You’re home now, and, all the chaos aside, you have us.”

Jughead reached up to run his fingers through Archie’s hair, blue-green eyes searching his expression affectionately. “Yep. I’ve got the Serpents to deal with, and Betty’s helping me while she deals with destroying the Farm, slowly, and you’ve definitely got your Juvie buddies to take care off – none of them are small tasks. But the three of us have each other now, no more crazy drama in that arena, and we’re gonna be ok.”

Betty smirked mischievously, teasing tones ringing out to cover them both in a blanket of contented happiness. “And while my mom is awol and my dad is **_definitely_** a serial killer, FP certainly won’t frame you for murder or try to have you killed!” Jughead grinned and started with “Well wait a minute-!” As Archie groaned, sending the other two breaking off into grins and laughter.

When they had calmed down Archie shook his head gently, chuckling lightly as he began to speak, head turning towards Jughead so he could find the boy’s eyes. “ 'Bout that Jug, I was thinking, about the Serpents ‘n the Poisons, and my guys….” He trailed off sheepishly.

Jughead tilted his chin up in a curious expression, mindful to keep a gentle expression on his face rather than the serious one he normally took for Serpent matters. “What is it Arch?”

Archie looked down shyly, “’s probably stupid.” Jughead clucked his tongue lightly but did not force the other boy to look at him. “True you haven’t had the most…logically sound? plans in the last year and a half Archie,” The boy flushed and curled in on himself ever so slightly, and Jughead ducked his head down to catch his eye, holding his gaze as he spoke. “You’re a smart guy Archie, and way more observant than people give you credit for. And you’ve…grow up, since then. You’ve had to.” He lifted his head back up and Archie’s eyes trailed after him, holding his gaze shyly. “Don’t underestimate yourself, you’ve saved the Serpent’s hides more than once in that time.”

Archie watched him for a moment, his eyes searching for a lie, for a half-truth, or any sign of hesitation. When there were none to be found he took a breath and collected his thoughts, speaking slowly, ensuring he said exactly what he meant. “I’m not suggesting my guys become Serpents, I don’t think they’d go for that, they’re too... well, they’re used to relying only on each other.” Jughead hummed noncommittedly, “But they worked well with your guys when we were helping Mad Dog, they get along with most of your guys, and I know they would benefit from having friends to call on. They…” He paused, visibly hesitating and trying to find the right words, Jughead let him. 

“They wouldn’t be Serpents. Not yet, and not for a while at least, maybe not ever, but they would be allies.” He met Jughead’s eyes clearly, the conviction of a warrior certain of his comrades lighting his gaze and steadying his voice. “If the Serpents gave them the loyalty they gave each other, they would return it tenfold. They will die for one another, and more importantly they will fight to the death for one another. They would do the same for your Serpents if it was earned and returned.”

He had finished, said what he intended and had no need to rush to fill the void of silence with ramblings, now he waited. Jughead sat for a moment and breathed, thinking, giving this the same consideration Archie had until he had come to a decision. “You’re right, and I know any decent Serpents, my Serpents, would feel and do the same.” He sighed quietly, a finality rather than an exasperation. “Besides, both of them, your guys and mine, need the allies right now.”

Archie waited long enough to know he was finished speaking, then interject quietly, “I do not speak for them, not like you do the Serpents, but I think if we talked to them…they trust me.” His eyes met Jughead’s and he shrugged slightly. “We don’t have a King, we trust each other, and if one of us leads in a certain direction, the others decide if they will follow. Normally, we do.”

Jughead nodded thoughtfully. “We’ll talk to the Serpents, firstly with those I trust the most like Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Jinx, and I wouldn’t mind asking Old Testament, he’s an elder and everyone respects his word. If they’re open to it, you and I, possibly with Sweet Pea and Fangs, will go and talk to your guys.”

Betty interjected smoothly, capturing both the boy’s attention as she always did. “That’s a good plan, provided you guys make sure there aren’t any loopholes or people violently opposed who will cause problems.”

Archie spoke up again, “And I know that you guys have a headquarters but some of the Serpents are still homeless, my guys have turned the back rooms of the gym into living areas. They need a lot of work, but there are several large, unused rooms. We could set up a temporary home there.”

Jughead nodded again, eyes unfocusing as he stared at the wall. After a moment he blinked and shook his head lightly, as if to dislodge cobwebs, and looked back at Archie with a raised brow. “Now then,” Archie, having zoned out, practically startled as his attention snapped back to Jughead. “You also mentioned the Poisons, why?” 

There was no mistaking there was more of an edge to his tone now, and Archie responded to it by curling his shoulders inward and wrapping his arms over his stomach, hugging himself, once again appearing nearly timid. “Ah, that.” Jughead raised a brow. “Yes Archie, ‘that’.” Archie sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Look, you’re not gonna like this, but if I’m right, it might solve a few problems.” His hand dropped and he met Jughead’s gaze steadily. “But you’re not going to like it, hell, you’ll probably get angry at at least one point.”

Jughead’s brow climbed higher and Betty chose to play mediator, laying a hand on Jughead’s shoulder. Though he didn’t break his stare with Archie to look at her, he listened. “Look, Juggie, sometimes being the leader means doing what’s best, even if you don’t like it. Just hear him out and think about whatever it is, _**rationally.**_” Jughead made an aborted noise of argument in his throat that turned into a sigh. “Fine. What is it, Archie?”

Archie watched him for a moment, then stated, clearly and calmly in an even tone, “You need the Poisons back, for both the sake of numbers and because they are loose cannons. They aren’t operating on Serpent law nor under an honor code anymore, hell they’ve attack Sweet Pea and Fangs to prove a point, and I know those two didn’t fight back against their former sisters.” Jughead’s jaw tightened and Betty’s hand moved to his neck, rubbing soothingly there. Archie gave pause for a heart’s beat but did not waver in determination nor tone. “Toni is smart, and she was loved by many of the Serpents, and she is blood. She is currently a threat, and I know she demanded you make her Queen in exchange for their return-“

Jughead sneered, lips pulling back to reveal canines, making him appear for a moment as more of a wolf than a serpent. Archie raised a hand and tangled it in his shirt near his collar, tugging lightly as if to bring him back to the present. “_**I know**_, Jug. Betty is your Queen, she always will be,” He ignored the tone ringing far too close to hurt in his voice, but he knew from Betty’s expression it wasn’t going unnoticed or unaddressed. “and frankly, Toni has more or less lost the right to it after the stunts she’s pulled-“ 

Jughead’s growled _‘**damn straight**’_ interrupted him. 

“**_But,_**" He pressed on patiently, "she would be a valuable player to have helping you lead, for both her blood and her mind. So think about this: Make the Poisons Serpents again, have them under Serpent law and no longer attacking your people. Offer Toni a place as an advisor or a general, she would be a valuable asset there and it would give her the opportunity to lead.”

Betty considered for a moment and interrupted, “That, could work, and it would be a benefit to eliminate one of the rival gangs by reabsorbing them. You've already done that with some of the Ghoulies and Gargoyles, Jug.” Archie gave a short laugh that was more a sheepish noise than anything else, drawing their attention back to him with raised brows from both.

“And here’s the part you really won’t like,” he mumbled that slightly, but it was perfectly clear in the still room. Jughead’s brow rose farther and Archie continued in a normal tone. “The Poisons defected for a reason, granted it was only eight of them, but…” He sighed, “Look, Jug, the Serpents still have some really shitty practices and biases where the girls are concerned. They left because of that, plain and simple.”

Jughead blinked and thought about that for a moment, then he sighed. “Yeah, fine, that was one thing I needed to deal with…bodies dropping and a violent drug trade kind of got in the way…” Archie tilted his head sympathetically. “So how about this? If Toni can agree to be an advisor rather than a Queen, meaning that ultimately you have the final say but you do have to listen to her, add this for her and her girls: Let the Poisons remain their own group, under Toni’s care, but as a subset of the Serpents.”

Betty’s brows furrowed. “How would that work Archie?” 

He opened his mouth and closed it again, then tried a second time. “Basically? Toni is your advisor, along with Betty and, I’m pretty sure, Sweet Pea and Fangs? That gives her a say where she felt she had none. The Poisons remain Poisons, that gives them a safe place and a community support in a, frankly?, not female-friendly-as-of-yet environment.” He waited to see if they would challenge that, they didn’t. “However, that would be under the condition that they are Serpents **_first_**. They follow Serpent law and obey your orders above all. Toni is in charge of directing them and keeping them in line. Think of it, kind of like a union within a workforce, yeah?”

Silence reigned for a moment, then another, and Archie waited anxiously to see how badly he had just messed things up. Eventually, Jughead snorted, the sudden sound startling Archie as the raven-haired boy shook his head. “That’s mad, completely mad…but it might just work.” He chuckled and shook his head with a little more fervor, eyes moving from a blank stare to refocus on Archie. Seeing the boy’s expression, he chuckled again and leaned forward to press a kiss to the redhead’s forehead. “You might just be a genius, Archie.”

Archie chuckled sheepishly, red flushing into his cheeks, he wasn’t quite comfortable with such blatant affection or praise yet. Behind Jughead’s shoulder, when he sat up, Betty grinned almost wickedly. “When did you turn into a strategist Archie?” She teased. He chuckled softly and shook his head. Her expression turned more serious.

“Now then,” Archie stilled immediately, nervousness filling his stomach. “What was that when you mentioned me being Jug’s Queen?” He shrugged and made a noncommittal noise that roughly translated to ‘I-dunno’. She leveled him with a not quite glare. “Don’t try that, you know exactly what I mean.” 

Jughead, previously having been leaned back against her, unfolded himself from her side and sat up. “Yeah, that wasn’t a happy tone.”

Archie looked away from them, ducking his head, and trying for all the world to hide without actually leaving from his place. Betty reached out and rubbed a hand over his arm soothingly, “Archie, it’s ok, whatever it is. We’re all new to this, whatever you’re feeling, it’s ok.”

He didn’t look at them, eyes watching the corner of his room where the dust swirled lazily in the moonlight, but he took a shaky breath and began to speak, his voice a thread of insecurity. “I…” His jaw locked together, and his voice died in his throat. Jughead’s calm tone reached his ears, soothing in his turmoil. “You can tell us, Archie.” He breathed, then again, and once more, forcing his throat to open again. “I-I don’t…understand, how-” He broke off and tried again, “where, I belong.”

It was a string of wounded words woven together to float on a fearful voice filled with pain. It broke their hearts. Betty stood and shifted him over gently to lay on his other side opposite Jughead, her arms wrapping around him. Jughead shifted closer to him, one arm wrapping underneath him to hold him close. Further up the bed than both Archie and Betty, he rested his cheek against Archie’s head.

“_Archie._” He uttered softly. “You practically just suggested I form a court, and yeah, Betty is the Serpents’ Queen, and mine. So why can’t you be, I don’t know,” He paused for a breath, “like our Consort?”

A confused and sad noise came from Archie’s throat and Betty looked up at Jughead in a ‘what-the-hell’ kind of confusion. He huffed a quiet laugh, “Yeah, I know, it has a bit of a negative connotation, doesn’t it? Ignore that, ‘s the result of shitty culture and a few really bad kings.” He nosed at Archie’s hair, taking a moment to put his words together correctly. “They could be anything, Arch, advisors, warriors, leaders, companions, lovers; many times, all of those and more.”

Archie’s quiet voice floated up to him in a broken whisper. “They were playthings.”

Jughead held him tighter, lips pressing to his head firmly in a kiss. “_**No**_, Archie. To stupid, insane monarchs maybe, but not in the way I mean. They were loved, dearly and desperately. Kings and Queens went against everyone and everything for them, risked punishment, exile, or even death to be with them.” He tilted his head down, nosing at Archie’s forehead. “No, Archie, no. They were loved more dearly than anything. Were more important than anything or anyone.” 

He pressed a kiss to Archie’s temple. “And yeah, they had to share, but so what? Is that so horrible? Betty and I share you, share each other, just like you share us.”

Betty raised her head from Archie’s shoulder and raised herself up on an elbow to look down at him fondly. “Archie.” She waited until his eyes shyly met hers, hating the insecurity she saw in those amber orbs. “You are so many things, to us, to the guys you saved from Juvie, to the Serpents: Counselor, leader, brother, soldier, healer, protector, and so, so much more.” She cupped a hand under his jaw gently and held his gaze. “You are not a plaything to us Archie. We love you, as much as each other, and we would do no less for you than we have for one another.”

Archie held her gaze for a moment. Stillness reigned as she held his gaze and Jughead held him, watching them both. He broke, eyes sliding away from hers as three droplets fell from his lashes in silent tears. “’m sorry. I…I’m not used to…” He broke off and they held him closer. 

“We know Archie, we know. It's okay.” Betty soothed him, before Jughead reassured him. “You’ll learn Archie, we’ll teach you, ok? We know your past,” Grundy’s manipulation, Veronica’s betrayal and her father’s cruelty, Cheryl using him, and all the people to whom he had been only a plaything, Jughead didn’t name, he didn’t have to. “and we’re not expecting you to be well adjusted anytime soon, not after how much you’ve been hurt.” He ducked his head down and kissed him chastely, hovering there for a moment as he spoke softly. “You’ll get there, and we’ll help you.”

Archie didn’t try to speak, not trusting his voice, instead, he shifted so he could wrap an arm around Betty and could curl his other hand in Jughead’s shirt. Silently he used action to express what he did not trust his words to do. He pressed a lingering kiss to Betty’s head, then another to Jughead’s forehead. They merely held him close, held him safe where he could heal. Tomorrow they would lead their groups, tomorrow they would negotiate the politics of protecting all those under their care, but for tonight...Tonight they would rest wrapped in each other's love and they would heal.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos make my day but I really, really love comments and talking to you guys, so please! key smash or write an essay or anything in between, I'll love it all the same! <3


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